Ill-Fated Air India Flight AI-171 Black Box Secured, Data Examination Underway, Check What it Means

In a major step towards solving the mystery of the recent emergency on board Air India flight AI-171, the black box of the Air India aircraft, which includes the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), has been successfully recovered. Though it has been established that the aircraft was able to sense the alert and was on a healthy flight path, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a full investigation to examine the data available in the black boxes to ascertain the actual cause of the crash.

Status Report on recovery and examination of data from Black Boxes –Air India Flight AI-171

The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved on June 24, and on 25 June, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB… pic.twitter.com/JQ4Q85sYVg

— ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2025

The flight flying along the international route had to be forced down soon after take-off because of a suspected technical problem. Fortunately, due to the alertness and professionalism of the crew, the landing was safe, and there were no injuries to the passengers or staff. Nevertheless, the incident has revived worries regarding the reliability of planes, system diagnostics, and general maintenance in the Indian airline industry.

Understanding the Black Box and Its Importance

A black box plays an important role in incident-related investigations in the aviation sector. The flight data recorder (FDR) records critical values, such as altitude, airspeed, engine information, and flight path. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records sound in the cockpit, including pilot communications, alerts, and environmental sounds.

Combined, the two sources of data provided can give an insight into what was happening minute by minute as far as aircraft performance and pilot action, thereby providing answers as to what may have caused the problem to be mechanical, a pilot in nature, or systemic.

Industry Response and Public Concern

Since then, passengers and even aviation industry experts have been concerned about Air India's ageing fleet. Passengers and aviation industry experts are also concerned about whether the standard security checks are being followed as per the stringent guidelines that should be followed. The need for predictive maintenance tools, advanced aircraft systems, and clean audits is crucial, researchers say.

The DGCA has resolved to conduct a fresh investigation and take corrective action based on the black box findings. As the aviation industry in India grows, the results of this investigation may pre-empt future compliance improvements and underscore the importance of adhering to high-level air safety standards.